Emergency please help

[Tanya farrell]

My heater has stopped working in my tank , I have put water bottles in the tank and hot water bottles around the tank what else can I do , I don't think what I have done is working ?

 

[Essjay]

What exactly do you mean? Is it just that the indicator light is not on? What is the temperature of the water at the moment, and what it is usually?

If the water temperature is a lot lower than usual, yes the heater is broken and you need a new one.

If I remember correctly from another thread you are in the UK. If that's right, with the current heatwave the heater light won't come on at all because the air and water temperatures are higher than the heater is set for. If the water temperature is the same as usual, it is just the weather and the heater will turn on when it gets cold again.

If you don't have a thermometer, I recommend to get one - not the stick on the outside ones that change colour but one with liquid inside that goes inside the tank. And don't forget that because of the heatwave, the water will feel cooler than usual to your hand simply because you are warmer than usual.

 

[Tanya farrell]

The heater has no heat it's just not working , it's normally 28c but now it's 23 and getting lower , it's been raining most of the day down here so it's not the weather , yes I have a thermometer

 

[Essjay]

If the temperature has dropped that much you need a new heater. But test it in a bucket of cold water first to make sure it doesn't come on even in cold water.

28 deg C is a bit high for most tropical fish (unless you have some thing like rams). My tank is at 24 deg C, except when the weather is very hot, and then it is higher. The fish won't come to harm at 23 deg for a few days, and when you get the new heater I would set it so the water temp is no higher then 25 deg C - unless you do have fish that need warmer water.




Very silly question - could the dial on the heater have been knocked to a lower setting?

 

[Tanya farrell]

The dial hasn't been touch that was one of the first thing I checked

 

[LyraGuppi]

You could wrap the tank in towels to insulate it until you can get a new heater.